See, we're not the only ones who had a problem with Seth MacFarlane's job hosting at the Oscars!

You might have caught the rousing debate we've been having over the last few days around here, with some defending MacFarlane's hosting duties and others calling out his sexism. Most of the commenters seem to be siding with MacFarlane, but now some California lawmakers are teaming with the anti-MacFarlane camp. Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal and Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson, Democrats who are part of the California state legislature, wrote a letter to the Academy calling MacFarlane's jokes "disturbing" noting that the host "crossed the line from humor to misogyny." The letter quoted by The Huffington Post went on to ask the Academy to show better judgment in the future:

This should be a celebration of artists in the filmmaking industry, not an offensive display of disrespect toward women that sets the fight for gender equality, dignity, and respect back decades."

I've already said more than enough around here about how I pretty much agree with these lawmakers, and found most of MacFarlane's jokes not only not particularly funny, but sexist. But I also cringe a little bit when politicians try to get involved in what is essentially art-- yes, the Oscar broadcast isn't the same thing as Apocalypse Now, but it represents artistic expression very much covered under the First Amendment. I wish MacFarlane hadn't said much of what he said, but I'd never deny him the right to say it… and though these lawmakers aren't either, it seems unwise for political figures to comment on these kinds of events one way or another.